REDS SNEAKING INTO TOP FOUR
Firmino’s goal double has Liverpool in driving seat
LIVERPOOL had to be smuggled in to Old Trafford undercover last night but they left standing tall with three points to keep their top-four hopes alive.
Amid tight security and on an unmarked coach after further protests by anti-Glazer United fans Jurgen Klopp’s men won a gripping contest.
Roberto Firmino, who has had an underwhelming season for a Brazilian with No.9 on his back, scored twice, his first since January, Diogo Jota a third and Mo Salah a late fourth.
United kept them honest, scoring twice themselves through Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford, but Liverpool held firm.This was a good time to post their first win at Old Trafford since 2014. And with their two chief rivals for Champions League spots, Leicester City and Chelsea facing each other nextTuesday, the equation is clear.
Win four in a row – for the first time this campaign – and they will save their season.
This rearranged fixture had caused no end of angst and controversy. Klopp claimed he had no problem with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, right, selecting a weakened side against Leicester on Tuesday despite it giving top-four rivals a helping hand. He insisted he would have done the same. United seemed to sense uncertainty in Liverpool ranks early and the visitors’ nerves were not helped when after five minutes Alisson passed straight out to Edinson Cavani on the edge of the box.
The striker pounced but hit his shot narrowly wide.
After 10 minutes United were in front, a smart move down the right flank involving
Rashford and the overlapping Aaron Wan-Bissaka got the ball to Fernandes just on the right side of the area. Curling a shot with the outside of his right boot, towards the far post, Nat Phillips stuck out a leg and deflected it in to his own net.
To be fair to Liverpool they responded well to the setback, slowly grabbing possession and making United work for the ball. Liverpool thought they had a penalty just short of the half-hour mark, Eric Bailly upending Phillips in a robust challenge on the edge of the area, but it was overturned after Anthony Taylor initially pointed to the spot.
For all United’s big guns it was Liverpool who dominated from that setback to the break, scoring twice to go in with a deserved lead.
Jota forced a fine save from Henderson after teeing up his own volley on 30 minutes, and a minute later found the net with a smart back-heel to redirect a Phillips shot which was going wide.
Firmino put Liverpool ahead on the stroke of halftime, shurgging off feather duster attentions of Paul
Pogba way too easily and heading Trent AlexanderArnold’s pinpoint free-kick past Henderson.
The pair combined again two minutes into the second half to put Liverpool firmly in charge, Alexander-Arnold firing a shot straight at Henderson which the United goalkeeper blocked but only to Firmino who finished.
Jota could have put the game beyond all doubt when rattling a post but it was United who struck next on 68 minutes to keep Liverpool’s nerves jangling, Cavani sliding the ball to Rashford to score.
Mason Greenwood nearly levelled only for Phillips to clear his shot off the line – then Salah finally calmed Liverpool nerves.